


Sweets to Die For

by MarinetteAgresteBrand



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste is not allergic to feathers AU, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir Makes Puns, Adrinette | Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - No Powers, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Cooking, Darker than Noir, Dessert & Sweets, F/M, Gabriel Agreste’s A+ Parenting, Halloween, Happy Ending, Implied/Referenced Abuse/Murder/Cannibalism, Luka thinks Marinette be sus, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug Likes Puns, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug Makes Puns, Mentioned Chloé Bourgeois, Mentioned Rose Lavillant - Freeform, Model Adrien Agreste, Pastry Chef Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Plagg is a Cat and Tikki is a Hen, Puns & Word Play, Reverse Crush (Miraculous Ladybug), This fic is a bloody mess— crack/humor/romance/horror, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:06:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,482
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27087574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarinetteAgresteBrand/pseuds/MarinetteAgresteBrand
Summary: Marinette Dupain-Cheng is a world renowned pâtissiere, known as "The Princess of Pastry!” Making miraculous cakes and confections to die for was her passion, something she slaughtered the competition with, but everything changes when she decides to feed a certain stray kitten. Swept into a whirlwind romance, top model Adrien Agreste soon finds himself in a love filled with burning passion and that tastes of sweet freedom.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 53
Kudos: 99
Collections: October 2020 - Dark





	1. Raspberry Rose

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to Khanofallorcs for beta-ing the series!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm thinking there's an age gap between the characters, Marinette will be about 23 and Adrien around 19.

Marinette always loved animals. They came in all shapes, colors, and sizes— some foreign, some domestic, and some that just seemed out of this world.

Animals were amazing creatures who could transform in ways that sometimes even she couldn’t believe.

And as someone with a degree in culinary arts, she bashfully had to admit she enjoyed trying all sorts of exotic creatures to experiment with in her recipes.

* * *

Wiping the sweat off her brow, Marinette exhaled a small breath of relief as she completed her newest creation, raspberry rose cupcakes topped with French buttercream, sparkling sugar crystals, edible glitter, and candied rose petals.

Holding her creation up to the light, she inspected every aspect of her dish for flaws, but found none. After positioning it against the clean kitchen counter, she snapped a few pictures before uploading it to Instagram where people all over the world immediately began commenting in awe at the perfectly frosted rose piped on top of the pastel-colored cake. 

After rolling up the sleeves of her pastry coat and preparing her beverage, she walked back upstairs and toward the balcony. Smiling to herself as she looked to a sleeping Tikki, she sipped on her café au lait before stepping out to enjoy the morning breeze. The sun wasn’t quite that high in the sky, but her work day started at dawn. She closed her eyes to take in the sounds of the noise and bustle of the city streets below, the metro, the crowds, the wildlife. At the sound of a baby bird’s sweet chirps and its fluttering little wings, Marinette’s eyes shot open as she stretched out an arm. As if something out of a fairytale, an innocent shrike landed on her finger. Fondly, she smiled at the bird before pressing her lips against it, as if to tell it a secret before letting it go to fly about its day.

Oh how she loved the city and all that it had to offer. Her eyes took in her surroundings as she watched as the bird swooped down toward the pedestrians below, a loose tail feather brushing against the blond locks of a boy whose hair shone golden like the sun in contrast to his all-black ensemble. 

Surprised by the sensation, he turned, seeming determined to find its source, but instead meeting her gaze. He tilted his head to one side, curiously, like a cat, green eyes peeking above the dark shades.

Melodic laughter escaped her lips before flashing him a sweet smile. With a small wave, she twirled on her tiptoes and secured her apron, eager to use up all the fresh new ingredients she’d gathered. 

* * *

The guitar riff faded between Luka’s fingers faded at the sound of his sister’s silent cries. Securing his instrument into its case, he got up and walked across the hall.

“Juleka…” He whispered, knocking on her door, he took her soft grunt as permission to enter. His eyes shifted over to his sister who hid beneath the covers, looking like an absolute broken wreck. “Oh, Juleka…” Cooing her name, he wrapped an arm around her shoulder before pulling her to his chest. “Come here…”

“Luka…” She wailed as she grasped onto his band tee. “I just don’t understand... why won’t Rose respond to my messages anymore?”

Blue eyes shifted toward the phone, curious about how his sister’s best friend had suddenly gone missing. Juleka had finally confessed her feelings for their childhood friend and by the sound of Rose’s voice gushing with a endless love and admiration, it seemed she’d returned them too. There was no way that the girl he’d known to collect anything related to unicorns and fairy tales would ghost his sister for no reason.

“We-We’re supposed to go on our first date next Tuesday, after she comes back from Provence, but she hasn’t called to confirm or responded to any of my messages in over a week! I’m so worried, Luka!” Juleka’s big brown eyes watered, wondering just what she’d done wrong. “What if something awful happened to her?”

“Hey… we’ll get to the bottom of this, okay?” It pained him to hear his beloved sister cry, he didn’t want her to have to shed anymore tears. Holding her tighter, Luka closed his eyes and tried his best to comfort her. “I swear…”

* * *

Another day, another rush, but Marinette wouldn’t trade her profession as a master pastry chef for anything.

“Marinette! We’re almost out of—” Manon began and in the blink of an eye Marinette presented her with a fresh tray of quiches. “Ah! Perfect, thank you!”

“Careful, Manon, they’re still hot.” Marinette smiled at the girl at the counter as she looked toward the entrance, the line out the door and wrapping around the establishment. “Is there anything else we’re running low on? I just finished up a batch of macarons.”

“Not yet! Please feel free to take a break, Marinette. August and I can handle the lunch rush.” Manon smiled at her boss.

“Thank you, I think I’ll do just that.” Smiling at the chance to get some fresh air away from the hot kitchen, Marinette undid her apron, wrapped up a treat, and left out the back.

* * *

Hidden from sight in a small alleyway was Adrien. He watched people gather from far and wide to try the delicious creations made by world renowned pastry chef Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

Eyes glazed over, Adrien inhaled deeply, taking in the delectable scents that wafted through the doors of Lucky Charm Boulangerie and Patisserie. His stomach growled in wanting as he closed his eyes, just imagining what it would be like to taste one of those confections he’d so often seen featured in magazines. It probably also didn’t help that the pastry chef was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.

“It isn’t polite to stare, you know.”

Adrien yelped, almost jumping out of his own skin like a scaredy cat. He hadn’t heard anyone coming, noticing her presence far too late. “Ma— Milady, I—”

Marinette’s brow lifted at the old fashioned seeming title. “Milady?” A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “Are you trying to imply that you’re some sort of gentleman because I’ve seen you hanging outside of my shop more than just once or twice and it seems to me you’re more of a hungry stray kitten.” She mused, watching as a healthy glow of pink trickled onto the boy’s cheeks.

“Well, I—” Fiddling with the hem of his designer hoodie, his eyes shifted upward to meet hers. Determined not to be rude, green eyes met blue and were enchanted. His eyes drunk in her appearance— she was like a living, breathing Snow White princess. It was the first time he’d seen the woman up close and in person, always having admired her from afar in magazines or cooking shows. “Oh wow…” he whispered out loud. “You’re so beautiful…”

For once in her life, Marinette had been caught off guard by a man. Blinking twice to get a better look at him, she realized he was the beautiful one and her mouth twitched before instinctually blooming into a smile. “Okay, I’m going to forgive you for loitering! But just this once!” 

“I’m truly sorry about that!” Bowing his head immediately, he thrust his hand out toward her. “My name is Adrien Agreste and although I’ve not tried any, I’m a huge fan of the beautiful sweets you create!” 

The awkward motions were the last straw and Marinette found herself bursting out in a fit of giggles before grasping his hand in hers and giving it a firm shake. “I’m Marinette Dupain-Cheng, owner of Lucky Charm.”

At her touch, Adrien felt his fingers go numb from the sparks of electricity that jolted through his spine. “I, um— I’m sorry, I’m just so happy to meet you.”

Marinette’s gaze softened at how he seemed to have a celebrity crush on her. “As charming as it was to meet a handsome boy like you, I’m afraid I must get back to work.” Curling her fingers around his, she gave his hand a gentle squeeze before letting go with a wave. “Come visit me inside the shop next time you’re hungry, okay, Chaton?”

Adrien began to hear his heart pounding in his ears as he watched her leave, eyes fixated on her red and black polka dotted chef coat that reminded him so much of a little ladybug. When a sense of feeling returned to his fingers, he heard the sound of a package crinkling and looked down to see a cute little macaron in his palm. She’d given him a free sample!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really loved the anime Yumeiro Patissiere in high school and the fandom I was in before Miraculous Ladybug was Hannibal. Unfortunately that series ended on a cliffhanger… literally.  
> According to science, pig's blood can be used as a substitute for eggs in baking.  
> For the fics sake, let's just all pretend whatever Marinette makes tastes amazingly good. XD


	2. Blood Orange

“Did you know, Plagg? They call Marinette the ‘Princess of Pastry’.” Adrien sighed dreamily as he stared at his PC wallpaper. It was a collage he’d made of Marinette, online images gathered from event competitions she’d won. He’d spent all of his free time that day reading articles and re-watching videos of her in competitions just to make it.

“She’s only four years older than me, but apparently rebranded her parents’ bakery and opened Lucky Charm just last year and has already earned herself a Michelin star! I can’t believe I met her in person, Plagg! She’s so wonderful… the absolute sweetest—”

“Meow!”

Adrien’s eyes widened in shock as the black screen of death appeared on his desktop computer. “Plagg!” He shot his head toward his old cat.

Plagg’s ear twitched as he barely lifted his head to give his owner an unimpressed glance as he stepped away from the power switch.

“Adrien, come down for dinner.” Nathalie called from behind the door. 

“Yes, be there in a minute!” Adrien crossed his fingers as he rebooted his PC with bated breath. When he saw it light up once more he exhaled, before heading down to the dining room.

When he sat down at the table, he saw a single dish served. “Father won’t be joining me again tonight either?”

“He had some work to take care of, your next scheduled meal is in…” His governess tapped at the tablet in her arms. “Perhaps the Tuesday after next.”

With a small sigh, Adrien gazed down at his meal, baked salmon, vegetables, and a lemon wedge to season with. While it wasn’t bad, it was plain, boring, and honestly not all that appetizing considering how it was one of the few things he was allowed to eat in between his intermittent fasting. He took a first bite, hoping it’d be different this time, perhaps more flavorful, but it wasn’t.

Knowing he couldn’t savor it, he choked back a sob and closed his eyes, mind fluttering to the scene of a vibrantly sunny day where customers sat outside and crunched on hot croque monsieurs from Lucky Charm. The melted cheese, crisp bread, and copious amounts of ham all delicately hand put together by none other than the amazing Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Adrien could almost begin to feel his mouth water. He swallowed his bite of food and felt none of the satisfaction he desired, only despair.

He finished his meal knowing he wouldn’t have any other options for more if he didn’t. Pushing the empty plate away, he muttered that he was done to Nathalie who then recorded his intake. “Think I’m gonna go out for a walk.” 

Heading back upstairs to grab a hoodie and disguise, Adrien was relieved to see his computer screen displaying his wallpaper in high resolution. “So pretty…” He sighed as he looked at Marinette’s picture, eyes shifting over the award winning confection she held. His stomach growled. “Ugh, still hungry.”

A muffled purring echoed through the room as Plagg jumped from the open windowsill and circled his feet before dropping a pigeon at his feet. The cat mewed, as if suggesting he wanted to share.

Adrien grinned at the gesture, finding it adorable how his lazy old cat would go out of his way to hunt just for him. “Thanks, Buddy, but you know I don’t eat dead doves.” 

“Meow!” Plagg hissed as he swiped at the macaron off the desk.

“Plagg!” Adrien scolded as he picked up the package off the floor; it was crushed. “I wanted to save it…”

“Mew? ” His cat noised, as if asking why.

“I’m afraid to eat it, Plagg… what if…” Gazing down at the yellow-colored macaron, Adrien bit his bottom lip. “What if it doesn’t taste as amazing as I’d hoped? I know she’s a world renowned master pastry chef, but still…”

“Meow!” His cat just called him an idiot, saying of course it would taste good.

“Ahhh! Fine!” Adrien tore at the package. His mouth watered at the scent as he inhaled; he could already tell, it was passion fruit flavored… his absolute favorite! “It’s like she just knew!” With quivering lips, he brought it ever closer to his mouth, the aroma almost intoxicating. Adrien was scared, he said he was afraid that it wouldn’t taste as good as he’d dreamed… but the truth was that he was afraid it would taste even better. Swallowing his fears, he took a bite and suddenly felt his entire body begin to shake. “It’s…” With tears brought to his eyes, he turned to his cat in awe. “It’s amazing…” He breathed, in awe at the confection. “Plagg, it’s… it’s perfect.” With eyes fluttering toward the desktop screen, he took in the sight of Marinette. Pretty bluebell-eyes, dark-as-night colored hair, and that adorable dust of freckles over her pink cheeks… she was the most beautiful person he’d ever laid eyes on. “ _She’s perfect_ …”

“Mew!” Plagg meowed again, as if saying _I told you so!_

“Thanks, Buddy, I’ll see you later!” Adrien murmured to his beloved old cat after sneaking him a wedge of cheese from his pocket. He didn’t know why out of all the cats, his had to be the one who could somehow stomach dairy. Plagg purred and nuzzled against his hand. “I’m glad you’re happy.” He smiled; it was nice having a treat once in a while.

Adrien aimlessly wandered the streets of Paris, his vision dimmed by the sunglasses over his face and the newly formed clouds in the sky. He let out a muffled sigh behind his mask as he kicked at invisible pebbles. Living like he did was lonely, he grew up home schooled, didn’t have many people he could call friends, and with him being plastered on billboards, it wasn’t like he could go out in public without being recognized. Maybe that’s why he liked to fall into fantasy, imagine what it would be like to go out and do things he’d never done or try things he could only dream of. Marinette’s macaron was heavenly, perhaps even otherworldly, he’d never tasted a passion fruit macaron like it in his life.

And before he knew it, he found himself outside her place, hands in his pullover’s pocket as he grazed the rose he’d plucked from the mansion’s garden. “Lucky Charm…” He whispered the name of the establishment; it certainly fit to his name, cute, colorful, intimate, and charming. Adrien’s feet remained grounded from afar as the dark clouds above began to drizzle rain over his form.

The inside of Lucky Charm was empty and dark, most curtains drawn, but there was still a faint warm glow of light flickering from the kitchen in the distance. Out of curiosity, he began walking closer despite the growing intensity of the rain; he approached the glass door and took note of her business hours. “Right… she’s closed on Mondays…” 

“Adrien?”

He stiffened in surprise, a dark umbrella hovering his head to protect him from the raindrops. Lightning struck, making him almost jump before nervously turning around to face the source of the voice. “Ma-Ma-Marinette!” He stuttered nervously at how cute she looked in her simple red and black polka dot dress. “What are you doing here? Wait! You live here, duh, that was stupid! Sorry, I don’t mean to be rude, I was just out for a walk and—” His gaze shifted down to the grocery bags she held in tow. “That looks heavy, please allow me help you!” He offered, immediately receiving a handful of groceries that were so much heavier than he imagined. 

“Thanks!” Marinette chirped, still holding onto the umbrella as she began digging through her purse for her keys. “So, Chaton, what are you doing here?”

“I- I was just out for a stroll in the park to gather my thoughts—” His stomach then growled which suddenly made her burst out laughing, much to his embarrassment.

“You tried the macaron, didn’t you? And now that you’ve had a taste, you’re hungry for more?” She mused, keys jingling as she undid the lock on the door.

“Yes, I mean no, I mean—” The comforting scent of Italian herbs and spices as well as the fresh citrus wafted through the air of the establishment and assaulted Adrien’s senses without reserve. “This smells amazing!” He gasped, pulling down his mask.

Another amused laugh, one sweet as nectar chimed from Marinette’s parted lips. “Glad you think so. Come in, I was just about to finish and I love having guests for dinner.”

Adrien stepped inside and removed his sunglasses, catching a glimpse of his reflection in the window. He was dressed in all black and his hair was disheveled like some shady character after having been dampened by the rainwater. “Hey, Marinette… how’d you know it was me standing outside your shop by the way?” He questioned as he motioned to his disguise and flipped off his hood. “No one’s ever recognized me while I’m dressed like this before.”

“Huh? Oh, well… that’s because...” Her body stiffened for just a moment, her back turned to him. “The nose knows—” She mused as she twirled to face him, tapping at the freckles that dusted her bridge. “I have a really good sense of smell so I could tell it was you by the scent of your cologne.”

“Oh?” Adrien blushed at the thought of her memorizing his scent. “That’s really cool, it must really come in handy when it comes to cooking and picking out ingredients, right?”

“Among other things.” Marinette mused as she placed the groceries onto the checkout counter. Her eyes shifted and motioned toward the front pocket of his oversized hoodie. “What’s that you’ve got there hidden in your pocket, Adrien?”

The blood began to rush to his head, his face growing flushed. “C-Can’t keep anything from you then, can I?” Delicately, he pulled out the rose from his pocket, thankful that it was still intact. “Um… it’s a thank you… for the macaron you gave me. It was really delicious, the best thing I ever ate.” He held it out to her.

Stunned speechless for a moment, Marinette stared at the flower before shifting her gaze back upwards to meet his. “Aww, there was no need to thank me, but thank you, Adrien!” Her eyes were sparkling as she enthusiastically took the flower in hand and inhaled its sweet scent. “It’s lovely!” 

And in that moment, they stood there in awkward silence, a blushing mess.

Thankfully, the dinging sound of a kitchen timer went off. 

“Ah!” Marinette placed the rose over her ear and grabbed some oven mitts before running toward the oven of the bakery’s commercial kitchen, throwing the door wide open. “Sorry, could you take the groceries to my apartment upstairs while I handle these? My keys are in my purse, I’ll be up soon.”

Adrien’s eyes widened just slightly at her almost clumsy actions as she pulled a hot tray out of the oven and shoved it closed with her foot. “S-Sure.” He bit back a smile; he imagined her being more composed than this in the kitchen. He secretly found her flustered demeanor to be admittedly very cute. Adrien felt his heart rate elevate and palms begin to sweat as he gathered up her belongings and walked up the steps to her apartment.

Adrien could feel his heart pounding in his ears as he approached the door. Awkwardly, he began fiddling with the clasp of her purse. When he got it open, he stuck his hand inside, trying to feel for the keys, he didn’t want to look inside, because a woman’s purse was private, after all. When he thought he found them, he gazed down at his palm and smiled. “Cute…” He gushed at the sight of a little chick keychain. “She must really like animals.” He inserted the key into the door and twisted at the knob.

He felt around for a switch and turned on the lights to reveal a pristine little living space where almost everything was pink and white, illuminated by candlelight. A goofy grin formed on his face as he took in the sights of her intimate living arrangement. There was a fireplace, piano, and a cute polkadot motif spread throughout. He walked around for a moment, curious about the closed doors, but knew better than to snoop. That would be rude, so instead he headed for the kitchen. He began to unpack the groceries and put them away.

He was surprised at how little she seemed to hold in the pantry and refrigerator, but he assumed she just kept most of her ingredients downstairs. When he finished, he washed his hands at the sink and took note of a venus flytrap sitting on the window sill; he found her choice of houseplant to be quirky. Hoping she would come for him soon, he took a seat at the baby grand piano at the corner of the room and took in the decor. He found comfort and excitement amongst the flickering candles, his mind falling into fantasy about how the princess spent her days up in the tower.

* * *

There was a reason the shop was closed on Mondays: Marinette hated Mondays, but then again, she wondered if there was any working adult who didn’t. It was supposed to be her day off, one she could spend relaxing or running errands; instead she had to spend it dealing with Lila Rossi.

Brows furrowed, recollecting her day, she gritted her teeth in utter disbelief at how her good friend Alya, editor-in-chief of _Amour Sucrée_ magazine, had had a last minute emergency and so foolishly sent over some half-baked intern in her place.

 _“She’s new, but she seems to know a lot and is determined to really get ahead in the industry!”_ Alya Was never the best judge of character, but she had spoken with so much enthusiasm that Marinette just couldn’t say no. It would be difficult to reschedule, especially with a deadline to meet and so Marinette decided to be polite and accommodate.

Never had she ever made such a mistake.

Marinette sighed, resting her arms on the kitchen counter as she took in a deep breath. It’d been a long time since Marinette had lost her cool, but then again, it’d been a long time since she’d encountered a being as evil as Lila Rossi. That filthy, no good liar was going to slander her good name by saying outrageous things about Lucky Charm with an entire article that was nothing but false accusations about her and her work. Unable to be reasoned with and worse than she could’ve ever imagined, truly, this Lila character was the scum of the earth.

_From the moment Lila stepped foot into Lucky Charm, she’d been nothing but rude, waltzing right in without so much as a knock on the door even when the shop sign said CLOSED._

_Marinette stiffened as she heard the bell chime above the door without warning, the overbearing scent of a GABRIEL Ⓖ N°4 the fragrance wafting with the breeze. The person in question was wearing way too much perfume and it made Marinette’s oversensitive nose wrinkle and eyes almost water._

_There she was, standing brash and garish was an olive-skinned Italian girl with jade colored eyes. She took one look around before locking eyes onto Marinette and stalking over. “You’re Marinette?”_

_With a tray in hand, Marinette plastered on a smile and walked over before setting the plate of pastries onto a nearby table. “Yes, I’m Marinette Dupain-Cheng, owner of Lucky Charm. Lila Rossi, I presume?” Extending her hand out for the girl to shake, she smiled and greeted her like a good host._

_“This is the place Alya Césaire hyped up? It’s such a dingy little thing!” Lila waved her hands as if to shoo hers away. “And you?” Her eyes shifted, inspecting Marinette from head to toe. “‘The Princess of Pastry’? Get real!” She scoffed as she motioned toward her sweets._

_“Pardon, but have I done something to offend you by chance?” Marinette kept her smile even, refusing to let her façade crack._

_“Your very existence is a joke!” Lila sneered. “Just because you’re kinda cute and can bake a cake, you think you’re all that, huh?” She flipped the tray off the table, the vast array pastries and confections hitting the floor. “How boring!” Slamming her foot over the tray, Lila squished the frosted treats further into the tile. “Let’s see how sweet you are after I do this, shall we?”_

_Such hostility, such arrogance, such vulgar words and disrespect toward food. It was a dog eat dog world, Marinette knew this, but still, to not have some honor or tact was just plain rude. After all, Marinette was all about delicacy. Her lips twitched in wonder, did Lila expect her to cry? Well, if so, she had another thing coming. Smiling further, her eyes shifted upwards to meet Lila’s gaze, fearless, cold, unwavering. “You’re a real bitch, aren’t you? Now what’s to be done about that?”_

“Whatever…” She muttered, as she tried to rid her mind of the memory of this afternoon; at least she’d gotten a handful of good ingredients out of their encounter in the end and got to pay a relaxing visit to the lovely old Madame Lovett who ran the butcherie down the road.

Biting back another sigh, she rolled her shoulders and began to garnish the roasted bones with some fresh onions and parsley salad, a classic when paired with some crusty bread.

Her mind shifted elsewhere and onto the gorgeous black cat who’d come to pay her a visit. She could tell: he was hungry despite having already eaten. A small frown tugged at her lips as she recalled the many billboards of him plastered throughout the city; he was a model, and probably followed the strict diet of one too. If there was one thing Marinette didn’t like, it was feeling hungry, especially when one had the means to have access to food. Hunger was unpleasant, it was sad, and it was painful to her because she believed food nourished more than just the body, it nourished the soul. And Adrien, she could tell, had a very beautiful soul.

Marinette hummed as she placed the finishing touches on her dessert: a fresh blood orange tart. After garnishing it with candied citrus of all shapes, sizes and colors, she topped it off with a few dollops of whipped crème fraîche. She snapped a few shots to post on Instagram in the morning, excited for what a new day would bring.

Tonight however, she had a guest to entertain, a pretty kitty named Adrien Agreste.

* * *

“Hey! Sorry it took so long.” Marinette apologized as she entered through the doorway. “I was putting on the finishing touches for dessert.” She laid the trays down onto the kitchen counter and switched on the stove before pulling out a pot. “I was thinking Italian tonight, if that’s alright with you?”

“Sounds great!” He smiled, as he motioned toward the ingredients he’d left out. “My nose might not be as good as yours, but I was thinking that was what you were up to. Did you need any of these?”

“Yes, exactly those!” Marinette dropped the pasta into the boiling water and clapped her hands together. “Thank you! Sorry to make you do so much...”

“No worries, Marinette.” Adrien’s smile was warm like sunshine and Marinette just couldn’t get enough. “You gotta work if you wanna eat, right?” He began to fiddle around with the edge of his hoodie. “Besides… rather than us being a host and their guest, I was hoping we could perhaps start off as maybe something along the lines of friends…?” He gazed up at her with the cutest kitten eyes she’d ever seen and her heart began to flutter.

“S-Sure… I’d really like that...” Marinette found herself awkwardly stuttering as she popped the cork off a bottle of wine, blush on her face as she poured their glasses, mind screaming to change the subject. “In the meantime, we can munch on this for an appetizer.” She spoke as she took a seat at the counter.

She lifted a dish cover to reveal some artfully cut bones with toasted baguette slices. 

Adrien went speechless. 

“Oh wait…” A small wrinkle formed between her brows. “You’re not vegetarian are you…?”

“Oh heavens, no. Sorry, it just looked so pretty that I was in awe.” Adrien reassured her. “I’ll admit though, I’ve not had bone marrow before.”

Placing a hand over her chest, she breathed out a sigh of relief. “I was nervous for a second because I was going to say that absolutely nothing here is going to be vegetarian! Bone marrow is pretty good for you though, nice and rich. I eat it often.” She picked up a slice of bread and began to smear the marrow on like butter before taking a bite.

The blond boy chuckled, mirroring her actions. “Well, I love eating meat and _meating_ other people.”

Dropping her butterknife, the metal clattering against the counter, Marinette’s shoulders began to shake.”Adrien…” She began after swallowing her food, voice dark, shaky as she looked down and grabbed at the edges of the counter. “Did you just make a _pun_?”

Adrien winced, biting his bottom lip, cursing himself for being so lame. “Sorry… do you not like puns…?”

Marinette shot her head up, eyes glittering in amusement with a grin so wide like a Cheshire cat. “I absolutely _love_ puns!” She squealed before bursting out laughing.

Adrien felt his heart stop, her laugh, it was true, genuine, and beautiful and he realized… he loved it… he loved _her._

* * *

Adrien was surprised by Marinette’s abilities; he’d daresay she was a culinary genius, now knowing her talents didn’t just apply to pastry.

“Is everything you make this good?” Adrien questioned as he ate at the main entrée; she’d served him a pasta dish topped with a generous portion of Italian sausage. It was spicy, saucy, and had enough cheese to make even his cat jealous. “My compliments to the chef.” He spoke after having cleared his plate.

“Haha…” Marinette laughed. “You’re sweet, but wait till we get to dessert, after all, pastry is my specialty.”

Resting his chin in his hands, Adrien watched as Marinette waltzed around her kitchen, the very picture of grace as she excitedly picked up the dessert tray. “You’re one lucky black cat, Chaton!” She announced as she lifted the dish cover. “You’ll be the first to try the recipe for my new Blood Orange Tart.”

“Oh wow, Marinette…” Awestruck, he looked at the tart admiring its impossibly deep red hue with candied fruits shining like jewels. “It’s beautiful… like a work of art... almost too pretty to eat.”

“The Devil’s in the details!” Another laugh unintentionally escaped her lips, she couldn’t help it, around this boy she found herself smiling and laughing without any reservation. Knife in hand, the metal gleaming under the dim light, she brought the blade sliced into the pastry before serving him a generous slice. “Bon appétit, Chat Noir.”

Dessert fork in hand, Adrien cut a piece and stabbed it before bringing it up toward his mouth, lips trembling in anticipation at what it could taste like. He closed his eyes and inhaled its sweet, citrusy scent, brows furrowing with curiosity. “Blood orange, a hint of bergamot, vanilla, there’s something else here too…” 

“Now, now, Chaton, that’s a trade secret.” Marinette playfully pressed a finger to her lips with a wink. “How about you just go on and try it? I’m dying to know what you’ll think of it!” She urged on.

Swallowing his fears about her sweets not living up to his imagination, he took the bite and half moaned at the taste as his senses were overwhelmed with the fresh yet rich, bright yet bold, and sweet yet tart flavor. “It’s amazing… It’s...” When he opened his eyes, his heart stopped beating at the very sight of her; she was smiling at him, dark-as-night hair shimmering like a veil, and blue eyes twinkling with the rays of the moon that poured in through the skylight windows. “Perfect…” He exhaled, lips slightly parted.

“I know…” She whispered, tilting his chin upward and running her thumb across his bottom lip to wipe off some cream. She pulled her hand back and sensually licked her finger clean. “But it’s still nice to hear.”

As if on impulse, he gently grasped her hand and brought her fingers up to his lips before kissing them, the flickering candlelight making the atmosphere that much more romantic. “You’re perfect, Milady.” Blue eyes met green and sparks flew with all the intensity of a lightning storm.

At the sight of her ever-widening smile and rosy red cheeks, Adrien felt his heart start beating in his chest once more. He didn’t know what the secret was to her sweets that made it so addictive, but there was one thing he was sure of: Marinette was a beautiful creature and she... would be the death of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm having fun with the cannibal puns, aren't you? c:  
> No joke, I almost thought about naming this chapter "Italian Sausage."


	3. Lavender Opera

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Blood/Violence  
> 

It was getting late, almost too late even, but the rain storm had finally ended, leaving only a quiet world cleansed anew.

“Marinette, I had the loveliest night with you and for the kindness you’ve shown me, I can’t even begin to think of how I can repay you.” Adrien whispered from the door; he wished their evening alone didn’t have to end.

“No need to thank me, Adrien. I told you that I like having people for dinner...” Marinette found her cheeks burning warm against the cool night winds that blew between them. “I enjoyed your company and wouldn’t mind if a handsome black cat like you dropped by again sometime…” Her gaze shifted upwards, hopeful for another clandestine meeting.

“Don’t you know it’s dangerous to say such things…” He flashed her a smile that could illuminate the dark of night. He slipped his hand into hers before bringing it upward to his mouth. “If you feed a stray they won’t ever stop coming back until you make them yours.” His lips met the dainty tips of her fingers, making Marinette’s heart pound and butterflies flutter in her stomach.

* * *

A sweet floral scent tickled Marinette’s nose as she worked through the week, Adrien’s gift to her secured in a small vase at the counter. Whenever she stopped to smell the rose, her cheeks would flush red and her mind would flashback to the night she’d shared with him, just shooting the breeze like they’d known each other their whole lives. It felt comfortable, it felt natural, it felt _right._

> **Ladybug:** Hey, Chaton! Just wanted to check up on you. Hope you’re doing well.
> 
> **Chat Noir:** Schedule is packed, but I’m hanging in there. Just talking to you brightens up my day, Buginette.
> 
> **Ladybug:** Aww! You’re sweet! If you drop by after closing, I could give you a little pick me up.
> 
> **Chat Noir:** I’m counting down the seconds, Milady.

The thought of him coming to meet her again soon had the world looking brighter somehow, had her wanting more.

Wanting him.

It was the first time Marinette ever felt this way.

“Marinette, are you alright?” Questioned a concerned August, taking note of his boss’ blank stare. “Is the heat getting to you?” 

She snapped out of her daze, trying to give him a reassuring smile. “Oh my, if I can’t take the heat then I guess I should get out of the kitchen.”

“She’s making jokes, August, she’s fine.” Manon chimed in from the cash register.

August let out a breath of relief as some other employees gathered closer. “Oh, I was worried that our princess was falling ill.”

“More like lovesick for a certain blond model.” Clara teased.

Manon giggled as walked over to the door and flipped the sign to close. “Can’t blame her tho, he a snacc, and I’d personally like a piece of dat ass.”

“Hey, watch your tongue!” Marinette’s cheeks flushed redder. “He’s more than just eye candy!”

“Oh?” Ali waggled his eyebrows at Marinette. “I didn’t know you were into younger guys.”

“Age has nothing to do with it!” She dropped her head into her hands with a groan, unable to stop the smile that formed on her lips at the mere thought of him. “He’s just so sweet…”

* * *

“Tikki, you’re so lucky!” Adrien gave a dreamy sigh as the speckled hen pecked at macaron pieces in his palm.

Tikki peeped quietly as if she understood, content at the treat she’d received.

Marinette giggled. “She said she agrees with you, but I don’t see what there is to envy.”

Tikki hopped into Adrien’s arms and he gently placed her back into her coop so she could retire for the night. “She gets to live here with you and eat your leftover cookies whenever there are any left!” Adrien jokingly pouted.

Marinette scooted over to make some room for him to sit on the lawn chair. “Have I not been spoiling you enough, Chaton?” She handed him a roasting stick with a large marshmallow.

“Purrhaps I just want to be spoiled rotten!” There was a small fire pit lit before them, the flames dancing high into the sky. Without hesitation, he plunged it forward and watched it light. The smell of smoke brought Adrien back to when he was still a child, to when his mother was still around to light candles on his birthday cake. A dull ache befell his heart as he realized that the last time he ever had a birthday cake was when she was still around.

“Chaton, Chaton… Adrien!”

He snapped out of his daze when Marinette finally called out his name. “Wah-What?

“Your marshmallow is going to burn!” She wrinkled her nose at the smell of the charred confection.

Finally taking notice, he hopped to his feet and pulled out the marshmallow. After finally blowing off the flames, he realized it was completely scorched black. “Damn…” And before he could even try to salvage it, the entire thing just melted and plopped right back into the fire pit causing Marinette to just burst out laughing.

“Okay, let me show you how it’s done, Chaton!” She couldn’t help her giggles and despite how much Adrien loved the sound, it still left him pouting. 

“You can’t tell me haven’t ever burned anything in the kitchen!”

“Never that wasn’t on purpose!” Playfully, she stuck her tongue out at him as she prepared him a gooey s'more. 

Gently, he kissed a lock of her hair before tucking it behind her ear. "The next time I light a flame around you, I'll be sure it's on purpose then."

Marinette blushed and turned to look away as she handed him the treat. “I-I’ll take your word for it.”

As they snacked, Adrien watched as she turned back to her sketchbook, drawing out intricate new cake designs. “Wow… that’s really pretty…Is there anything you’re not good at?” Adrien whispered against her ear as he shifted his head which lied on her shoulder. Wondering if the princess beside him was truly anything less than miraculous, he snuggled closer, wanting to take advantage of her warmth, enjoying the view of the city from atop her balcony. 

“Music— I’m absolutely terrible.” Marinette reached her hand out to ruffle his messy blond hair making him almost purr. “That old piano inside my place is more for decoration than anything else.”

“I can play for you, if you’d like…” He offered as he leaned into her touch.

“I didn’t peg you for a musician, Chaton.” If Marinette were honest, she wasn’t too fond of those who were too in tune with sound; they could catch the slightest change in the atmosphere, read what was deep in people’s hearts, and hear beyond what was spoken. Perhaps a part of her envied them for finding inspiration in things they couldn’t see. She held back a sigh as she stopped her petting.

“I’m not, but I just wanted to impress you.” Adrien admitted with a pout as he felt her pull her hand away. “I’m obsessed with more than just the sweets you make, you know…”

“Chat Noir, you act as if I’m a witch who put a spell on you!” Marinette giggled. “I want something more than a familiar or pet…”

Adrien felt his heart skip a beat, his voice getting caught in his throat at wanting to admit she’d done more than enchant him, wanting to ask if they could perhaps be something more. 

“I want this…” Marinette slipped her hand into his. “Ladybug and Chat Noir… partners in crime.” 

* * *

“Lucky Charm?” Luka spoke as he exhaled some smoke from his cigarette. He and Juleka stood in a line that wrapped around the block. He opened up his phone to do a bit more research on the place, taking note of how quickly and efficiently the line was moving. “Huh, apparently it’s run by a world renowned pastry chef, Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Says here she’s one of the youngest master pastry chefs in history and the only daughter of Tom Dupain and Sabine Cheng, also bakers, who unfortunately died in an accident while she was seventeen. Seems after she got a bit famous, she rebranded the shop as Lucky Charm.”

“Rose mentioned her before as ‘The Princess of Pastry…’ Guess that explains the huge line.” Nervously, Juleka rocked back and forth on her heels, securing back her bangs with one of Rose’s old hairclips she’d left behind in her room, searching for any sign of her crush. “Um… Rose… mentioned some of her sweets being limited edition, coming every other Tuesday to try whatever sweet she posted up on Instagram that morning… I wonder if she’ll be here…”

“Welcome to Lucky Charm! My name is Ali and I’ll be serving you today.” The young man beamed an adorable smile as Luka put out his cigarette. “Would you like to dine in or take out today?”

“Dine in, please.” Luka answered, taking note of how Juleka was in awe at the bright and cheery decor and the equally matching staff member.

As the waiter led them to a small table for two, Luka’s eyes narrowed at the sight of a woman with blue eyes and black hair peeking at him through the serving hatch, whispering to the cashier. He couldn’t hear exactly what was being said, but somehow he knew that the woman was whispering about them.

“Here are the menus, this week we have two different specials available, the blood orange tart and raspberry rose cupcake.” Ali began, handing them each a menu decorated with a floral motif and little ladybugs. “I’ll fetch you two some water and be right back to take your orders!”

“How cute…” Juleka whispered as she glanced at the menu. “This one in particular…” With quivering lips, she pointed to the pretty pink cupcake. “It reminds me of Rose…”

Luka placed a gentle hand over his sister’s. “Don’t worry, Juleka, I—”

“Here you two are!” Ali placed a small plate of lavender colored macarons between them along with their waters.

“Oh, but we didn’t order any macarons…” Juleka shyly pointed out.

“They’re on the house! The Princess of Pastry happily welcomes new customers!” 

Luka watched from the corner of his eye as the woman at the serving hatch ducked back into the window. “How’d she know we were new?”

“Marinette remembers every customer who's dropped by so she can get a feel for what they’d like in the future and encourages us to do the same to provide the best possible customer service!” The waiter pulled out a pen and paper pad. “Are you two ready to place your orders?” The two nodded. “We’ll start with Miss…”

“Juleka.” She found herself comfortable enough to give her name. “Umm… this one?” She pointed to the limited edition cupcake.

“Wonderful choice, Miss Juleka, we’re just about to run out of those so I’ll grab you one right away! And for you, Sir?”

Luka pursed his lips, slightly hesitant to answer. “Luka… and I’ll just have a cup of coffee, black.”

“Really? But we waited forever to get in…” Juleka almost pouted. 

“Fine… I’ll have one too.” He flashed her a reassuring smile before turning to Ali.

He jotted down their orders. “I’ll have your orders out in just a moment, Luka, Juleka…”

“Thank you, Ali.” Juleka began to relax into the atmosphere despite her eyes still looking sad. “I can see why Rose likes this place… it’s like a sweets kingdom and the staff is very personable…”

Luka bit back the urge to mention he’d prefer the place play something other than a symphony of classical music to help drown out the metal sounds of the kitchen.

* * *

At the chime of a new message notification, Marinette knew it was Adrien and instantly wiped her hands on her apron to unlock her phone.

> **Chat Noir:** Hey, I’m prepping for a photoshoot right now and they bleached my hair to match the concept! What do you think of my new look?
> 
> [img sent]

Marinette gasped in awe at the sight of his selfie; Adrien’s green eyes had turned an icy blue and his golden blond hair had been bleached so light that it almost looked white as snow! 

> **Ladybug:** I think I should start calling you Chat Blanc rather than Chat Noir!
> 
> **Chat Noir:** It kinda has that anime serial killer sort of vibe. I’m not sure it suits me.
> 
> **Ladybug:** On the contrary, Chaton, I think it suits you purrfectly! ♡
> 
> **Chat Blanc:** I know it isn’t Monday yet, but maybe I could drop by tonight to see you, Milady? There’s something I would like to ask you.
> 
> **Ladybug:** My door is always open for a pretty kitty like you~

Marinette pulled her phone to her chest, hoping he would ask her what she’d been dying to hear.

* * *

“Here we are, two raspberry rose cupcakes and one black coffee!” Ali served them with genuine pleasure. “If there’s anything else I can help with two with—”

“Actually there is one thing…” Luka began; the unsuspecting waiter tilted his head curiously. “You’d mentioned keeping tabs on regular customers, right? You wouldn’t happen to know a Rose Lavillant, perhaps?”

Juleka snapped a photo of the cupcake before bringing it upward to her mouth. Hesitantly, she took a bite, afraid it’d be overly sweet— and while it was, there was something about it that made her just fill her heart with warmth!

“Ah, yes! Miss Rose! She’s a real sweetheart!” Ali sounded as if they were close.

“Hmm! I think I’m in love!” Juleka noised, finishing off the cupcake in no time at all, eyes gleaming with the desire for more. Luka gave her a soft smile before sliding his cupcake over for her to eat, implying that he would be content just munching on the mini macarons.

“So you do remember her then?” Luka questioned before taking a sip of his coffee; it was a full-bodied roast, bold, nutty, floral, and absolutely delicious— he closed his eyes, hearing customers sing nothing but praises about what they’d ordered.

“Well, we people are creatures of habit, you know! She usually drops by on Tuesdays, so I’m actually surprised she isn’t here now. Although she hadn’t dropped by last week either, such a shame, these raspberry rose cupcakes seem just like her and I’m sure she would’ve loved them!” Ali rambled on and on for a bit before taking note of his boss’ approaching.

Luka popped a lavender macaron into his mouth and closed his eyes, immediately feeling himself be transported to a time when he and his sister vacationed in Provence during the summer with Rose’s family. He would sit from afar and watch as Juleka and Rose ran through lavender fields before collapsing in each other’s arms and weaving fresh flowers into each other’s hair. 

He was suddenly ripped out of his daydream when a new song began playing in his head. The sound was regal, mysterious, enticing, and… deadly.

Luka’s eyes suddenly shot open as he turned to be faced with Marinette herself, he hadn’t heard her approaching.

“Hello, I’m Marinette, owner of Lucky Charm. I trust Ali to ensure that everything is to your liking.” She smiled brightly and in combination with her beauty, Luka found her to be impossibly alluring.

“Marinette, these two are acquaintances of Rose Lavillant.” Ali chirped.

“Oh? Really now?” Her voice rose an octave higher, but somehow Luka could hear she didn’t seem the least bit surprised. “Friends of our dearly beloved Rose?”

“Yes, childhood friends actually…” Juleka blushed at how she’d greedily finished the second cupcake. “She said you’re called ‘The Princess of Pastry.’”

“No need for formal titles, being a princess isn’t as glamorous as it seems as I’ve told her many times before.” Marinette pretended to laugh, being polite. “Anyway, I hope everything was to your satisfaction?”

“Everything was perfect, I’ll be sure to drop by again soon!” Juleka reassured the owner, sincerely impressed by the setup.

Marinette, seeming content with that answer, turned to greet other shop customers. Her footsteps were near silent and Luka found that to be suspicious, after all, that wasn’t a trait any normal person would aim to hone.

* * *

True to his word, Adrien couldn’t help but try his best to finish his photoshoot early. 

“Great job today, Adrien! You really nailed the theme!” Smiled the assistant photographer as he began to pack away materials.

“Thanks so much, I couldn’t have done it without you guys!” Adrien spoke graciously before taking note of the leftover props. “Hey, I was wondering… if you don’t need those anymore, could I maybe take them?”

“The flowers?” Jess, one of the set designers, replied. “Nah, we don’t need ‘em so feel free to take them with you.”

“Oh! Lavender roses are really rare, you can’t just find them at any normal florist.” Aeon, a makeup artist, tilted her head curiously. “You gonna give them to someone special?”

“I…” He fought back a blush and hid his expression with the bouquet. “I gotta go!”

As he power-walked to his dressing room, he stared at a selfie Marinette had sent of herself featuring some delectable desserts she’d baked that morning. Her pearly white teeth peeked through her rose red lips and he imagined kissing her would taste sweeter than anything.

As he began to change, he caught sight of himself in the mirror; he couldn’t help how he was making a silly lovesick smile— despite not having known her long, he loved her and wanted to ask her out.

After changing into his street clothes, he sent a text to his bodyguard letting him now he’d be out late so that he wouldn’t worry about picking him up. He also promised him a bribe of sweets from Lucky Charm, but that's besides the point.

Adrien made his way down the streets of Paris, moving quickly, and eager to see Marinette even one second sooner. He gazed down at the lovely bouquet. Lavender roses represented enchantment and splendor, something fit for royalty, and perfect to represent a budding romance. He’d catch himself grinning like a mad man against the cloth of his mask; he couldn’t help it, he was a smitten kitten for his lady.

Secured in his pocket were tickets to the opera, hoping they could go for their first date. Adrien knew Marinette loved the arts and hoped she could find inspiration for some sweets there. He knew it was a bit over the top, but rather than trying to find some fancy restaurant, he wanted to treat her to something that would truly make her feel like the princess that she was.

* * *

At the sound of the bell chiming, Marinette eagerly began to wash her hands. “Oh Chaton, you’re early—” A faint breeze slipped through the door from the outside, bringing in the scent of the Seine River, black coffee, and cigarettes. Marinette froze in place, the person who’d entered her shop wasn’t Adrien… 

“Good evening, Marinette…” His melodic voice sent a shiver down her spine as he knocked on the doorframe. “My apologies for dropping by unannounced, but I had a few questions to ask you about Rose Lavillant and would appreciate it if you answered honestly.”

“Luka, right?” Marinette clenched her jaw, taking note of the guitar slung over his shoulder and cursing her luck to be matched against a musician— her stomach turned; she could tell he was one of those who could hear beyond what they should. Her mind raced to think of any and all possibilities to get out of the very situation she was in as he came closer and closer. She clenched at the ties of her apron and turned to face him, giving a polite, but stern smile. “I’m sorry, but…”

* * *

As Adrien approached the entrance to Lucky Charm, he took note of the door being slightly ajar and a cigarette butt fizzing out. His eyes narrowed at the sight, slowly sneaking into the store to avoid setting off the welcome bell.

_“Don’t come any closer!”_

_“You’re lying!”_

_“Let go of me!”_

Adrien’s eyes widened at the yelling he’d overheard and ran into the kitchen to see Marinette being cornered by a man with blue hair, his hand wrapped tightly around her wrist. “Marinette!”

“A-Adrien?” Marinette whimpered, tears in her eyes.

At the sight of the girl he was going to confess to being assaulted, he dropped the bouquet and felt his blood begin to boil with rage as he impulsively grabbed a kitchen knife off the counter. “GET AWAY FROM HER!” He screamed, seeing red. He charged over, slamming the man against the wall, pressing the cold tip of the blade to his neck.

“Wait, man! You’ve got it all wrong, I—”

“Don’t you EVER touch her again,” he warned, voice dripping with venom. His other hand gripped around the man’s throat, tighter and tighter, leaving him without a second chance to speak.

Before Luka could even hope to fight back, Adrien smashed his head against the marble counter and let his body drop to the floor. 

Marinette gasped, her bluebell eyes meeting his icy blue.

“Marinette…” Adrien was seething, but after a few seconds, his tense muscles began to relax and he collapsed on all fours.

A pool of red began to form as blood seeped freely from Luka’s head. It was spreading without reserve, crimson staining across the tile floor.

Adrien’s clouded mind began to clear at the sensation of warm liquid trickling against his fingers. Snapping out of his daze, he looked down at his bloodstained hands; he wanted to scream, but couldn’t, he was hyperventilating. “Wh-What have I done? I…” Then a dark shadow hovered; his heart pounding in fear as he looked up to see her blue eyes gleaming. “Ma-Marinette?”

She knelt down to his level and began to pat his hair softly. “Awww… you didn’t have to do that, Chaton. I had everything under control.” 

“Marinette, what—?”

“Now, now, Kitty, shhh, it’s okay…” Marinette cooed before resting her hand over a certain pressure point on his neck. “But thank you for trying to save me.”

“Marinette… I…” Adrien’s eyes closed as he fell into her arms.

* * *

Adrien’s eyelids fluttered open to the sight of an unfamiliar fireplace burning brightly. “Huh?” He sat up and winced, his head hurting, taking note of a strong chemical scent mixed in with the smell of smoke. “Where am I…?”

“Oh good, you’re awake, you had me worried there for a second!” Marinette immediately ran to his side, pressing a cool hand against his forehead as she placed a small plate on the table. 

“Marinette?” He closed his eyes, leaning into her touch, nose wrinkling at how her hands faintly smelled of disinfectant. “What happened? How long have I been out?” He slipped the blanket off and looked down at his hands; there were no traces of blood like he’d remembered before blanking out. He had to wonder if he had just imagined it.

“You ran into the kitchen and slipped on the floor. How’s your head? You must’ve hit it pretty hard if you lost consciousness.” She rubbed his back in soothing circles. “Your jacket ended up getting some flour on it, so I tossed it in the wash, I hope you don’t mind.”

“Not at all, but…” Adrien winced again, hoping for the ache in his head to subside. 

“Wonder if you’re anemic, best get some food in you! I thought up a new recipe! ” Marinette spoke cheerily as she motioned toward a pretty purple cake topped with fresh blueberries. “It’s a blueberry lavender opera cake. Come on and try it!”

“Marinette…” Adrien couldn’t help but stare at his hands, his vision still somewhat blurry.

“What is it Adrien?” She tilted her head cutely, acting innocent. 

“What happened to that guy with the blue hair? He didn’t hurt you, did he?” Adrien bit back a sigh before taking her hand in his and rubbing her wrist.

“O-Oh… umm...” Marinette stiffened slightly; she’d hoped he wouldn’t remember. “He left… I told him you were my boyfriend and he finally backed off… sorry, for lying…”

“I wish I was your boyfriend!” Adrien suddenly blurted out, anxiety taking over at the thought of her having another suitor. “Wait, that came out wrong… Well, I mean, I do, but I wanted to ask you out properly and—”

Marinette relaxed her shoulders at his rambling, taking hold of the bouquet he’d dropped and opera tickets she’d found in his pocket. “So were these for me?” 

“Yes!” He blushed, dropping his face in embarrassment. He lifted his head, peeking up at her with the cutest kitten eyes. “Marinette, I want you to be my girlfriend!”

“Well,” Marinette placed her hand beneath his chin and tilted his head upward, looking him in the eye, “it’s a good thing I’d love to.” She flashed him a sweet smile.

“Really?” Shocked, Adrien felt tears begin to well at the corners of his eyes as he threw his arms around his new girlfriend. “You’ll really be ‘My Lady’?”

Marinette relaxed into his embrace and patted his fluffy platinum white hair. “Only if you’ll be ‘Mon Chaton’, Chat Blanc.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RIP Luka and Rose, poor Juleka is left without a brother or a lover.
> 
> Thanks to Eun for helping me make Adrien attack Luka more violently. LOL


	4. Golden Honey

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Abuse

“Congratulations!”

A mess of streamers popped as Marinette entered Lucky Charm one late Sunday evening after returning from a Halloween-themed cooking competition in New York.

“W-Wah!” She gasped in surprise as Adrien lifted her up in his arms and kissed her cheeks.

“Congratulations, Marinette!” Adrien looked at her with pride, his smile more illuminating than anything in the night. 

Marinette blushed at his radiance, brushing his bangs back to kiss his forehead. “Thank you…” 

All of her employees huddled up close and began greeting her with compliments.

Ali was smiling widely. “Marinette, you did it!”

“You really are ‘The Princess of Pastry’, showing them who rules!” Clara cheered.

“Those other guys didn’t stand a chance!” Manon grinned.

August was gushing. “Ahh! Everything you made looked so good!”

“Thank you, everybody!” Marinette ruffled everyone’s hair as her boyfriend placed her down on the ground.

“Welcome home, My Lady.” His expression softened as he held out a small gift box. 

“Aww… you didn’t have to get me anything!” Marinette’s heart thumped in anticipation, afraid he’d gone overboard with his choice of gift.

Adrien gave her a reassuring smile, having caught on quickly that she was the type to prefer flowers and chocolates over jewels and designer pieces. “It’s just a little something to remember me by.”

“Can I open it now?” Admittedly, she was getting curious. After she saw him nod, she lifted at the cover to reveal a leather keychain in the shape of a cat. She lifted it up flipping back and forth— it was black on one side and white on the other. “Oh, Mon Chaton… it’s purrfect.” Despite her sniffle, she managed to make a pun as she held it to her chest.

“You’re perfect, Buginette.” With affection only for her, he brushed her bangs off to the side and kissed her nose. “Come on, let’s celebrate!” He led her to a table as August wheeled out a very obviously homemade cake; the icing was frosted unsmooth and drawn on top was a ladybug and cat.

A smile tugged at the corners of Marinette’s mouth at the gesture; knowing what she did for a living, people were afraid to serve her food. “Awww… did you guys make a cake just for me?”

“Actually, Adrien made it!” Ali clarified.

Clara added. “We just helped a little with coaching him!” 

“And we poison tested!” Manon giggled.

“It’s totally edible now!” August chirped.

“You?” Marinette whipped her head around as she stood up and looked at her boyfriend. “You made me a cake?” Her eyes widened incredulously.

“Y-Yeah…” Adrien stuttered, all the blood rushing to his face in the form of a blush. “I know it’s a bit—”

“You got me a present and made me a cake!” Marinette squealed as she jumped into his lap. “That’s the sweetest thing anyone’s ever done for me!” She threw her arms around his neck and planted a kiss on his cheek. “I’m the luckiest girl alive!”

Adrien who’d looked at her in shock snapped out of his reverie and blushed. “It’s me who's the lucky one to have you as a girlfriend…”

“And that’s our cue to leave!” Clara voiced, rushing everyone else outside the door.

“Eh? Wait, what about the cake?” Marinette scrambled to get up. 

“No worries, we’ve had our fill just watching the two of you! Your love is so sweet we might end up getting cavities!” Manon winked. “See you on Tuesday!”

The door closed behind her leaving the two dorks in love.

Marinette chuckled as she cut into the cake. “Well, I guess that means more for me!” She pulled the cake upward toward her face and closed her eyes to inhale its scent, finding the smell to be somewhat nostalgic of her childhood, exactly how clumsily she’d make her cakes before eagerly serving them to her parents. Ridding her mind of any sad memories, she reminded herself to focus on the task at hand. It was a simple white cake made with flour, butter, sugar, vanilla, and a hint of honey as a secret ingredient. Gently, she parted her lips before taking a bite. 

“H-Hey… tell me what you really think, okay?” Adrien rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “I know it’ll never be anything in comparison to what you make, but I don’t want to force yourself to eat it...”

After she swallowed, she put down her fork. “Adrien…” She placed a hand over his and gave him a soft, genuine smile. “The cake is wonderful, Adrien…” Flashing him her most alluring gaze, she leaned in closer. “I can taste just how much love and care you put into making it for me.”

Adrien was somewhat caught off at how she’d called him by his real name rather than his nickname. “O-Oh…” His cheeks flushed redder at the look she was giving him. “The taste was okay then?”

“Have a taste for yourself.” Marinette swiped a dollop of frosting onto her finger before pressing it against his mouth.

“It’s really not too sweet…” Adrien licked his lips, his eyes focusing on hers. 

“I have an idea of how we can fix that…” Her voice was impossibly tantalizing as she caressed his cheek. “Make the taste downright irresistible…”

Unable to hold himself back, Adrien pulled her into a kiss, finding that her lips tasted of sugar and rightness against his own. “You taste sweet.”

“You took the words right out of my mouth.”

* * *

Wondering what the chances were that Marinette would be doing a photoshoot at the exact same studio as him, Adrien gleamed with pride as he watched his girlfriend get her pictures taken.

The theme of her shoot was “Witch Queen” and she was dressed in an entirely different look than he’d ever imagined she could pull off.

“How is it possible that she is not a model?” Aeon questioned. “She certainly can act like one.”

“She’s a pâtissière, right? I don’t know about you, but if all she does is eat cake all day, then I’d kill to have a metabolism like hers!” Jess whistled as she watched Marinette flawlessly switched positions and expressions for the camera.

Sequins, cobwebs, black lipstick, were just complements to her beauty as she featured a decadent selection of Halloween themed desserts.

“Wow, you posed like a pro.” Adrien complimented when she finally finished, he himself dressed as a vampire from his own shoot.

“T-Thanks… you looked really sexy in your shoot too...” Marinette blushed as she felt him lift her hand to his lips. 

He flashed her his pearly whites before nibbling at the tender skin of her wrist and pressing a kiss to her pulse. His gaze was downright seductive and she could feel her heart leaping out of her chest; she bit back a moan even he sucked on the side of her wrist, leaving a vivid red love bite in its place. “Call me enchanted, because you’ve put a spell on me, My Lady…” He whispered, as if truly charmed by her very presence. 

“Chat—”

“Oh? What’s this? Has ‘The Princess of Pastry’ finally found her prince?”

Adrien dropped Marinette’s hand as he turned to be faced with a woman with auburn hair and glasses.

“Alya!” Marinette giggled as she jumped up to hug her, her witch hat falling off in the process. “It’s been too long!”

“Good to see you, Marinette!” Alya laughed as she patted her back. “Sorry about last time, the twins had something going on.”

“No worries, I’m sorry that your intern never showed. Did you ever find out what happened?” Marinette asked innocently. 

“Don’t know, don’t care, found out all the nasty things she’d been doing behind the scenes and got a new intern. I swear I’ll kill that bitch if she ever shows her face again.” Alya muttered before changing topics, giving Marinette a teasing grin. “Anyway… aren’t you going to introduce me to Mr. Model over there?”

“Oh!” Marinette blushed as she motioned to Adrien. “Adrien, this is Alya. Alya, Adrien…”

“Adrien Agreste.” Holding his hand outward, he gave his most perfect model smile. “A pleasure to meet you Alya.”

“The pleasure is all mine. So tell me, how long have you two been dating in secret?” Alya mused, eliciting a small groan from Marinette.

“Alya!” Marinette whined, hating how it was just in her reporter friend’s nature to ask questions without reserve.

“I was just curious!” Pretending to pout, Alya crossed her arms before flashing a grin at Adrien. “No worries, I strictly report on food. Although… the celebrity gossip between you two would be absolutely delicious!” Her eyes suddenly began to sparkle. “Could you imagine the headlines? Adrien Agreste cheating… on his diet!”

Marinette resisted the urge to roll her eyes in wonder at how they were friends. “Alya!” She pouted as she pulled out a bakery box to reveal a set of her new seasonal pumpkin spice cupcakes.

“No worries, Buginette, I would never do anything to harm you.” Adrien bit back a laugh as he tapped her chin in hopes to get her to smile. “After all, you’re sweeter than any dessert.” He spoke as he reached for a cupcake.

Marinette’s cheeks flushed redder than Adrien even thought possible. “Chaton!”

“You two are so overly sweet, I think my teeth will rot.” Alya’s face was beginning to hurt from all the smiling she found herself doing. She took a bite out of her cupcake. “Damn this is good! You’ve outdone yourself, Marinette, what’d you use for, ah, nevermind, I know I’ll never get it just right!” She finished it off in the blink of an eye and reached for another. “Alright, alright, let’s get this interview started shall we?” She flipped open her recording app. “First off, congratulations for winning _Chopped: Halloween Edition_ in New York!”

“Thank you!” Marinette bowed her head a little, happy at her win.

“But wow, pig’s blood in the dessert basket! People were dying to know how you pulled that off!”

“Well, you forget that there was dark chocolate in the basket too! We had twenty minutes for the dessert round so I had to make haste! As soon as I saw the ingredients, sanguinaccio dolce was the first thing that came to mind— it’s typically served for Carnevale, but I thought I could put a Halloween twist on it with the decorations. I was so afraid that my competitor would also think to make it!”

“Well you slaughtered the competition! I can’t believe he tried to make pork blood ice cream!” 

“Hey, it was actually a pretty good idea!” Marinette defended.

Adrien watched with a gentle smile on his face as his girlfriend talked about her profession with endless passion and joy, and while he was happy for her, a part of him envied her for being someone who could live out their dreams without reservation.

* * *

Late night, heavy storm, with winds sounding almost ominous, Adrien was face to face with Gabriel in his room, his father glowering down at him as if he were some petulant child. “To what do I owe this visit, Father?” He asked, Plagg sitting on his lap to keep him seated on the couch.

“What is this about you seeing some baker girl whom I’m sure is making you break your diet?” Gabriel began, tossing photographs taken of him greedily eating a cupcake with Marinette during her interview with Alya onto the table.

“How did—” Adrien clamped his mouth shut, knowing better than to ask about his father’s endless sources. “Yes, her name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng and we’ve been dating for a few months now.”

“Imagine my surprise to receive these as blackmail, do you have any idea how much I spent to ensure these photos never hit the press?” Gabriel’s question was a rhetorical one and his son knew it. “I did not approve of you dating, let alone dating a commoner.” 

Adam’s apple bobbing, Adrien swallowed the lump in his throat. “Father, while she may come from a humble background, she’s anything but common. In her own right, she—” 

“Oh, I know all about her and her shop. Tell me, Adrien, what ‘princess’ must work like a pauper making cheap TV appearances and compete in competitions for such meager amounts of money?” Gritting his teeth, Gabriel held back a sigh. “I’ve allowed you too much freedom. Audrey is already dealing with enough talk with her daughter having gone missing, supposedly running off with some woman. Break up with her, I will not have you tarnishing the Agreste name by dating some gold digger.”

News had hit that Le Grand Paris heiress Chloé Bourgeois had gone into hiding after having been caught in a scandal with another woman. The press had a field day after the whole debacle and Adrien winced in understanding first hand how much of a hassle it was to deal with the paparazzi. 

“But Father, Marinette is different! She’s not like that at all!” Adrien defended. “She likes me for me, not for my name or wealth!”

“Don’t be naïve, Adrien. _Her?_ A pretty faced woman like that would just eat you alive!” Gabriel snarled, anger rising at how his son had talked back. “I told you to break up with her and you will or else I will do it for you!”

“But Father… I love her!” Tears began to form in the corners of Adrien’s eyes and Plagg gave a quiet meow as he tried to comfort his owner.

“Love? You _love_ her?” Gabriel snarled, as if disgusted. “You don’t know the first thing about love!”

Gritting his teeth, fists clenched, Adrien began to feel the rage build inside him. “Whose fault do you think that is?” His voice came out as an inaudible growl; he lifted his head, eyes filled with murderous rage. “I told you that I love her and I would rather bring down this brand than do anything to hurt her! ”

“You ungrateful child! I’d given you everything!” Gabriel matched his son’s anger, thunder clapping through the night sky. “And yet you dare bite the hand that feeds you!”

“You don't feed me! And you don’t love me!” His words were provoking, challenging, and liberating. “What you do is not love, Father, and what you’re doing for me is not for my best interest, but your own!” 

For a moment, Gabriel couldn’t recognize the person before him as his son. The boy’s gaze too defiant, like some wild beast and he absolutely hated seeing it. Determined to remind Adrien of his place, Gabriel slapped him across the face. “I’ve had enough of your insolence!” 

Adrien gazed up at him without so much as wincing. Plagg hissed. Claws out, Plagg jumped and swiped at Gabriel’s face in fury. Gabriel screamed in pain as he grabbed the feline and threw it at a nearby wall. Plagg’s body hit it with a dull thud and at the sound Adrien’s eyes widened as if he’d snapped out of a trance. Plagg landed on his feet, wincing in pain before collapsing onto the floor.

“Pl-Plagg?” Adrien shot out of his chair and ran over to his cat. “Plagg!” Tears began to burst forth. “Father, how could you!”

Gabriel wiped at the blood on his cheek from the scratch he’d sustained. “You’ve only yourself to blame.”

“Then you’ll have only yourself to blame when you have no model for your brand!” Adrien screamed in a panic as he tried his best to pick up his friend with shaky arms. “I’m leaving!”

“What?” Gabriel barked. “And where do you think you’ll stay?”

“Anywhere but here!” 

* * *

Hurt, rage, confusion, desperation, Adrien was a mess of emotions. Exiting the mansion with nothing but the clothes on his back and Plagg in his arms, he ran through the stormy night.

With his body in fight-or-flight, within minutes he found himself desperately pounding on Marinette’s door. His heart was beating out of control, of course she couldn’t hear him through the storm. With shaky hands, he dialed her number. “Pick up, pick up…”

“Hn… Chaton?” Her voice was groggy, of course it was, she always went to bed early.

“Help me…” He managed to say as he choked back a sob.

Sounding more awake, a deep breath audible, voice deadly serious, she finally asked: “Where are you?”

“O-Outside…” Adrien swallowed hard before hearing a beep; she’d hung up.

And in less than a minute the door flung open, her eyes widened at the sight of him drenched with only a hood over his head, She pulled him inside. “Adrien… it’s late, what happened?” Despite not being able to see his face, Marinette could smell the saltiness of his tears mixed with the rain that soaked through his clothes, but there was something else off about his scent. She peered downward and noticed a lump in the front of his hoodie that he was trying to support. “Adrien, why did you bring Plagg?”

“I’m sorry for showing up without notice— I…” Lungs on fire, legs aching with pain, Adrien dropped to his knees, Marinette’s hands on his shoulders to keep him upright. 

“Hey, hey, look at me, breathe.” She tilted his chin upward, holding back a gasp at the mark on his cheek when he finally did as she asked. “Adrien, never apologize for coming to me.”

“My Lady…” He whimpered. ”My father, he…” Finally, after having gone through so much for so long, he broke down and spoke his truth.

Despite her stomach twisting and her heart beating too fast, the look on Adrien’s face as he admitted to the horrors he’d endured made her plunder on. She pulled him to her chest and whispered words of comfort against his hair. “Hey, hey… shh, Adrien…” 

Having felt so weak and pathetic, Adrien was afraid to look into Marinette’s eyes, afraid that he would see that his father was right, that he was actually undeserving of any form of love. “My Lady…”

“It’s okay, Adrien... you’re with me now. Adrien… here, you are safe.”

* * *

Walking out of the shower, feeling as refreshed as one could after having endured what he had, Adrien realized how good a warm bath felt after having been chilled to the bone. 

Letting out a hum, Marinette stood up from the couch and grinned. “Look who's awake!” 

“Plagg!” He gasped, running over. “Buddy, are you okay?” 

Plagg mewed before nuzzling his cheek against Adrien’s as if to confirm he was fine. 

“W-What, but how?” Adrien was ready to cry again as he lifted his cat into his arms and spun around. “Ah! Doesn’t matter! I’m just so glad you’re safe.”

“We can take him to the vet in the morning, just to make sure.” Marinette giggled softly. “Your cat is very funny, by the way.” She scooped Tikki up into her arms and came closer. “Plagg says that he is an immortal god of destruction who once caused the extinction of the dinosaurs and the Black Plague.”

“I don’t remember telling you he said that.” Adrien furrowed his brows. “Can you understand what he’s saying?”

Marinette blushed a bit as Tikki leaned forward and Plagg booped his nose against her beak. “Well, Tikki says that she’s secretly been a goddess of creation this whole time and that she’s so happy to finally be reunited with her other half, but that’s a little far-fetched, isn’t it?”

Tikki chirped and Plagg mewed as their owners placed them on the ground to play, causing the pair to blush.

_“Like us, you two were meant for each other.”_

“D-Did you understand what they said?” Adrien stuttered nervously.

“N-Nope, not at all.” Marinette spoke in the same manner as she slipped her hand into his, intertwining their fingers together. “Come on, I made tea to go with the new cake.” She whisked him away to the kitchen and sat him at the table, wanting to give him a sweet distraction.

Adrien watched as she pulled out a shimmering gold cake with a shape reminiscent of honeycomb. “Marinette, what is this?”

“Ah, it’s my new limited edition Golden Honey cake, it’s made with manuka honey, gold leaf, and other luxury ingredients. I’m participating in a fundraiser and proceeds from each one of those sold will go toward charity.” She explained, thinking about the Save the Bees campaign she planned to donate the money to.

“It’s beautiful, My Lady!” He complimented, especially admiring the sugar sculpted honeybees garnish. “It’s like a piece of art… I almost feel guilty about eating it.”

“I don’t feel guilty about eating anything!” Marinette mused as she cut into it, revealing that it had different colored layers on the inside. “I got the shots I needed for IG earlier so you can have it.” She lifted a piece up to his mouth. “Say ahh…”

Adrien blushed as he took a bite, his eyes widening in surprise at its rich and elegant honey taste. Somehow, in combination with it’s over the top design, he was reminded of his childhood friend. She handed him the fork and he began to eat without reserve. “Marinette, it’s downright decadent! You’ve really outdone yourself this time! I could eat this for forever!”

“Pfff…” Marinette bit back a laugh before bringing over some tea. “I don’t think even you’d be able to afford it for long if you tried to do that.”

“You said it’s a limited edition sweet for charity so it’s gotta have a hefty price tag to it, right?” He asked curiously. “How many do you plan to make?”

“I have enough ingredients to make about fifty of them and at about 1,000 euros each I—”

Almost choking at her words, he paused his chewing and looked at her bug-eyed. His swallow was audible. Quickly, he took a gulp of tea to wash it down so as to avoid speaking with his mouth full. “Wait, what?”

Raising a brow at his reaction, she crossed her arms and gave him a challenging look “If your father thinks I’m just all hype and couldn’t be wealthy if I felt like it, he’s totally wrong!” Placing her hands on her hips, she gave him a playful grin. “Might I remind you that Lucky Charm has a Michelin star? I don’t operate just some run of the mill bakery, Honey!” She flipped her hair over her shoulder.

At the end of her little sassy act, he burst out laughing. “You’re miraculous, My Lady!”

Marinette finally began to relax, his laughter being the only sound that ever truly brought her peace.

* * *

They lied in bed, Marinette’s arms securely wrapped around his waist, Plagg and Tikki snuggled soundly at their feet. The room was illuminated with scattered scented candles to help ease his mind. Twirling a lock of her hair, Adrien sighed; she’d told him that she’d open the shop late so that they could take Plagg in for a check up. She’d made enough sacrifices for him, but made no complaints. A part of him was angry, his father was right about him having acted like a child, but the woman before him made him want to grow into a stronger person, someone strong enough to protect her and their love.

“Marinette… thank you…” Adrien whispered, a sense of warmth enveloping him. “You’re too good to me…” His shoulders shook, lips quivered as he tried to blink back the tears. “I don’t deserve you.”

“Hey… enough of that… we both know that isn’t true.” Placing a hand over his and kissing his hair, she tried to comfort him once more. “Adrien...” Hearing him cry was breaking her heart. “Look at me, please.” She cupped his face with her hands; he leaned into her touch instinctively, her cool palm feeling so nice against his still sightly swollen cheek. “Don’t you know, Adrien… _We accept the love we think we deserve._ ”

Adrien felt his body stiffen at her words. “Marinette…” Feeling her kiss away his tears, guilt began to eat at him once more. 

“Adrien, I love you and I think you deserve all the happiness in the world.” Fearless, Marinette declared. Her compassion for him was inconvenient, she knew it, but even still, she loved him with all her heart, body, and soul.

“Wah-What?” He’d been caught off guard by her sudden confession. 

She bit back a laugh, tears threatening to fall from her own eyes. “Adrien… Do you feel the same way? Do you want me? Do you love me?”

Seeing any form of doubt or insecurity in his always playfully confident girlfriend, he began to feel an overwhelming sense of regret at how he could keep hurting her. Even still, she was offering him the opportunity to be selfish with his love, she was offering herself unconditionally. “Of course I do, Marinette... I think I’ve must’ve been in love with you since before we even met…”

“Hmm… oh yeah?” She giggled with quivering lips as she pulled him closer. “What if I want you to be with me forever?”

Despite his shyness, he pressed his forehead against hers, eyes shifting to meet her hopeful gaze. “Then I promise to love you until my dying breath…” He whispered against her lips before kissing her with all the passion he held.


	5. Burnt Sugar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This whole concept was pretty niche, but this was my most self-indulgent fic ever, so thanks for joining me on this weird journey!

“How’s the job hunt going?” Marinette whispered against her lover’s blond locks as she watched him pull off his reading glasses.

“Not so good, I may have a degree in Business, but I don’t have any real work experience outside of being a model. If I were to go with a different designer it would just cause a scandal about the working conditions that made me leave my own family’s brand.” Adrien pinched the bridge of his nose and threw his head back with a groan. “I can’t keep mooching off of you! You already do so much for me!”

“You know… you could always just work downstairs in Lucky Charm with me…” Marinette caressed his cheek with a smile. “I wouldn’t mind the extra help.”

Raising a brow at her proposal, he bit back a chuckle. “My Lady, I didn’t take you as the type to mix business with pleasure.”

“I may be willing to make an exception for My Prince…” She smirked before meeting his lips.

“Hm… sweet.” He murmured as he pulled her down for another kiss. “New recipe?”

“Hmm… new lip balm.” Marinette nipped at his bottom lip as she teasingly climbed into his lap. “Hungry for more?”

“For you, always.”

* * *

Adrien inhaled a deep breath and held it as Marinette knocked on the door of his father’s office; a part of him was feeling more like a child rather than an adult. Fearlessly, Marinette opened the door and led him forward. “Hello, Father.”

Gabriel stood towering over the couple, rigid and imposing. Raising a slight eyebrow, he turned to look at his son, completely ignoring Marinette’s presence. “I see you have yet to do as I’ve said.” He gritted his teeth, clenching and unclenching a fist behind his back. “Son, I told you to break up with her! She—”

“—has a name and it is Marinette Dupain-Cheng!” Marinette corrected, narrowing her eyes at Gabriel before tugging at Adrien’s arm. “Your father is quite rude, Adrien. I am inclined to think that you got not only your good looks, but also your temperament from your mother.”

Adrien exhaled the breath he had been holding in order to avoid laughing at her suddenly sassy persona. “Father…” He began, eyes looking forward, unwavering. “I will be moving in with Marinette, effective immediately.” He bowed his head slightly. “I realize now that we never really saw eye to eye, but even still, I thank you for all that you’ve done for me until now.” Wrapping an arm around Marinette’s shoulder, the couple turned to take their leave.

“If you walk out that door, I will cut you off completely!” Gabriel’s voice boomed like thunder. “You’ll no longer be my son!” 

Adrien’s body stiffened in place, hesitant for just a moment. Knowing the truth of his father’s abuse was a bitter pill to swallow, he did all that he could to steady his breathing and calm his nerves before steeling his resolve. “What’s unfortunate is that even after all the terrible things you’ve done, I know you will always be my father.”

* * *

“My father is a powerful man, we have to proceed with caution…” Nervously, Adrien mumbled from outside of the mansion.

“You seem to forget how much influence I possess as a princess.” Playfully, Marinette stuck her tongue out. “Oh, I almost forgot, you’re going to need this!” She slipped her gift into his palm and watched his eyes widen in surprise as he looked down.

At the sight of a little ladybug keychain attached to a set of keys, Adrien began to feel tears prick at the corners of his eyes. “My Lady, this is—” As he felt his lover intertwine her fingers with his, Adrien felt a newfound calm wash over him.

“Hey, Adrien... look at me—” Placing a hand on his cheek, she tilted his head to meet her gaze. “Even if it’s just you and me, Ladybug and Chat Blanc against the world, I want you to know that I will always be on your side.”

“But what if he tries to hurt you? Everything you’ve built…” Adrien glared at the tile as he felt Marinette close his fingers around the gift.

“Hey, Adrien.. Nothing hurts me more than seeing you unhappy.” She cooed. “Let me be the one to protect you. I want you to feel like you can rely on me and I want to give you a safe place to call home. You and I are meant to be, My Prince.”

Drawn to her like a moth to a flame, her touch being all that he could ever want, Adrien blinked back his tears. “What makes you so sure, My Lady?”

Marinette took him in her arms, warming his skin like the last rays of sunlight clinging to the earth at dusk, unwilling to let go. “Because you and I have a future worth fighting for.”

* * *

Since having lived with Marinette, a whole new world of opportunities opened up for Adrien. Before the breaking of dawn, Adrien would wake up to the radiance of his Lady. He was drawn to her and her way of life; it was brilliant and thrilling and simply miraculous.

Though he was terrible in the beginning, discouraged by the sheer amount of strength required to be a pastry chef and lighting more than enough fires in the kitchen, through diligent practice and the support of everyone at Lucky Charm, he was able to complete the basics of his training within just a few weeks.

Despite having to wake at ungodly hours to prep in the kitchen, Adrien found that making sweets could be magical, especially when watching how his Lady worked. Cake design provided a creative outlet, only limited to her vast imagination and she in turn would challenge him to venture deep into fantasy to bring his visions to life.

When Marinette said that he was finally ready to make an original cake from scratch, he put everything he’d learned into practice. Making food for someone you loved was so much fun! And when Marinette sincerely called what he made “delicious” for the first time, he cried so many happy tears.

And within just a few months, business was bigger than ever, with rumors of Lucky Charm’s Princess of Pastry having found a prince for an apprentice.

News spread like wildfire that Adrien Agreste had abandoned all modeling assignments to pursue a career in the food industry. Along with anonymous claims of work abuse, _Gabriel_ was left without a face for the brand and plummeting stocks.

Although Adrien refused to comment on the situation, the media just ate up the idea of Adrien falling in love with “The Princess of Pastry” with Alya being the first to access all of the juiciest gossip.

* * *

Feeling some guilt, Adrien looked to his ex-bodyguard; though the man was of little words, he was always kind. “Thank you for this, Guillaume.” Graciously, Adrien accepted the last of his belongings.

“Sir, please—” Nathalie chased after Gabriel, failing to keep up with his long strides.

Fuming, Gabriel zipped down the stairs and threw a gossip rag magazine against Adrien’s chest. “You’re engaged?” 

“Yes, I proposed to Marinette.” Adrien narrowed his eyes at the magazine before lifting his head to meet his father’s gaze. 

Fuming at how Adrien was going to be able to get early access to his trust fund, Gabriel began to bark. “I cut you off and now you’re going to marry her just to get to the money your mother left!” He grabbed Adrien by the collar and slammed him against the wall.

Wincing at the impact, Adrien gritted his teeth and clutched at Gabriel’s wrist. “I love her and saw no point in wasting any more time.” There was a fire burning in Adrien’s eyes, his tone challenging.

Feelings of contempt radiated between them and Gabriel found himself pulling his fist back as Nathalie closed her eyes, trying to stop Guillaume from interfering in their familial affairs.

“You ungrateful child, how dare you—”

“Wow, that’s quite the reaction to our engagement!” Marinette gasped, eyes gleaming with victory.

Gabriel’s body flinched as he turned to see Marinette grinning, phone camera in hand and fancy red diamond ring glittering on her finger.

“You!” Dropping Adrien to the ground, he stalked toward Marinette. “You’ve ruined everything!”

Dodging Gabriel’s attempt to grab her with ease, Marinette’s smirk never faltered. “Now, now, Mr. Agreste, what would the media say if I were to have this video published?” She tapped her chin as if pondering the thought. “Ah, I should send a copy to my reporter friend for safe keeping!”

Clenching his hands into fists behind his back, he began to snarl. “You wouldn’t!”

Marinette helped her fiancé back up to his feet. “Sweetheart, I think it’s about time we take our leave.” 

Gabriel did not take well to being ignored. “Wait a damn—”

“You don’t have any idea what Adrien and I are capable of, Mr. Agreste.” Marinette’s voice was sugary sweet, yet her words were dripping with nothing but poison.

* * *

“Hm! I think I’m in heaven!” Adrien sighed dreamily as he tried Marinette’s Death by Chocolate cake. In an instant, he gave his fiancée a sultry smile. “Even more delicious when made by my—”

He was immediately booped on the nose with some whipped cream. “I suppose the way to a man’s heart is his stomach!” Marinette winked at the camera.

“Cut! “And that’s a wrap!” Alya cheered.

Everyone in the studio clapped as Marinette and Adrien finished shooting a Valentine’s Day webisode of _Baked With Love_ funded by Amour Sucrée. 

“Great job, everyone!”

“Thank you for having us again.” Marinette bowed before pulling out trays of mini Death by Chocolate cakes. “Please take some, Adrien baked them just this morning!”

Graciously, the staff dug in. Adrien could practically see hearts in their eyes as they ate and felt all warm and fluffy inside as they complimented his work.

“I can’t thank you two enough for making these cooking videos.” Alya sniffled; Amour Sucrée was getting tons of traffic after featuring exclusive content on the hottest new “it” couple. “You two are just the cutest and make such amazing sweets!” Alya took a bite of Adrien’s cake and squealed in delight. “Adrien, these are to die for!”

“Thanks so much, Alya!” Adrien was happy that his work was well received, happy that everything in his life was somehow finally falling into place. “I couldn’t have gotten this far without everyone’s support.”

Alya finished up her cake and reached for another without reserve. “I can’t believe you’re the same guy who’d light everything in Marinette’s kitchen on fire when you started!”

“Hey!” Marinette ruffled Adrien’s platinum blond hair with a small giggle. “He was just trying to flambé everything!”

Adrien felt himself break out in a smile before chuckling. “Couldn’t help it with all the sparks that flew between us!”

* * *

“Son, this little charade of yours has gone on for long enough!” Gabriel’s voice boomed through the tablet, cringing in disgust at his son’s attire. “I demand you come home this instant.” 

Adrien raised a brow as he crossed his arms in his chef’s coat, white with blue piping splattered with cake batter and frosting from a hard day’s work. “Please tell my father that I’m staying here.” Turning to Nathalie, he bowed his head slightly, choosing to remain civil.

Nathalie gazed at Marinette who was rubbing Adrien’s back comfortingly, before holding back a sigh and turning off the tablet. “You’re not going to change your mind about this, are you?”

Not yet finding the strength to look her in the eye, Adrien glared down at the floor. “How can I, Nathalie? The way he treated me… us…”

“I know… and now that you’ve left, there’s no longer any reason for me to stay.” Tilting his chin upward, Nathalie met his gaze. “Your bodyguard and I have already submitted our letters of resignation.” 

“You… you what?” Icy blue eyes widening in disbelief, Adrien stepped backward. “But, Nathalie, you love—”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t keep you safe…” Blinking back her tears, Nathalie clenched her hand into a fist and placed it over her heart. “You seem happy, Adrien… you’re looking much healthier.” Despite how haggard she seemed, she managed to give him a small smile. “I wish you well…”

As she turned to take her leave, the Gorilla giving a small wave, Adrien felt his heart sink to his stomach. “Wa-Wait, Nathalie!”

Running to block the exit, Marinette stood in front of the door to stop her from leaving. “Would you and Guillaume like to stay for dinner?” Blurting out a sudden invitation, she watched as Nathalie gasped and looked at Guillaume. She relaxed slightly as she took Nathalie by the shoulders and turned her around. “Adrien can cook now… wouldn’t it be lovely to see how he’s come in such a short amount of time?” Marinette flashed her fiancé a smile. 

Choking back a sob, Adrien swiped away at his tears and gave them a determined gaze. “I would love to have some friends… no, I would love to have my family over for dinner.”

As the couple began to prep for dinner, Plagg and Tikki keeping their guests more than entertained, Marinette reached out to tousle her beloved’s platinum blond hair. “Don’t worry, Mon Chaton, we’ll have your father for dinner someday.”

“I know, but for now…” Adrien gave her a warm smile as he took her hand in his, her red diamond ring sparkling in the light as he placed a soft kiss on her knuckles. “We can just keep living the sweet life, just you and I.”

* * *

_Lighter in hand, Adrien watched in silence as the entire Agreste mansion went up in smoke, the warmth of the flames sending a rush of pleasure and relief coursing through his veins._

_He heard a melodic giggle congratulate him as the fire began to crumble everything he once knew to ash._

_“Well done.”_

Opening his eyes but seeing nothing but darkness, Adrien awoke to find his wife lying next to him, their pets sleeping soundly at their feet. “My Lady?”

“Hm?” She stirred.

Looking around the room, he saw that none of the typical candles were lit. He wrinkled his nose a little. “Do you smell smoke?”

“Burned dinner…” She murmured into his shirt. “Don’t worry, it’s all been taken care of…”

“But you—" Adrien was rendered speechless; she’d silenced him with a kiss that tasted reminiscent of salted caramel crème brûlée.

Marinette yawned before snuggling back into his chest. “Good night, My Prince...”

With a beautiful princess sleeping soundly in his arms, Adrien smirked to himself before falling back into his darkness.

“Sweet dreams.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And remember kids!  
> Game, set, match = Tennis  
> Set, match, run = Arson

**Author's Note:**

> Hit me up on the [Miraculous Fanworks Discord Server](https://discord.gg/mlfanworks) where you can discuss Miraculous Ladybug, get feedback on fics, share fanart, and make friends!


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